The Children of War
by Lara140112
Summary: At Draco Malfoy's trial, a very unexpected spectator stands up to give a most surprising speech for the defence.


**Children of War**

He was wearing Muggle clothes, simple jeans and a hoody that covered his head and shielded his face. People probably thought him terribly disrespectful, wearing clothes like that in a courtroom. But he didn't want any attention, didn't want to cause a stir or at least not unless necessary. He felt a hand brush against his arm and giving him a quick squeeze. Of course they hadn't let him go here by himself, so Hermione sat next to him unnoticed by anyone else as the strong glamour prevented even the slightest resemblance to the bright witch that would have gotten nearly as much attention as he himself at this trial. Suddenly the murmur around the room quieted as the Wizengamot entered and just moments later the doors opened. Draco Malfoy, bound in chains, was escorted into the courtroom by two Aurors that Harry didn't recognize. The blonde was wearing elegant black trousers and a jumper in the same colour, but his outfit was worn and filthy. He looked like he hadn't changed in days if not weeks. His hair was longer than usual and unkempt. Blonde strays covered his face as his eyes never left the floor. Harry could feel the gloating around the room as the shackles bound the young man to the chair in the middle of the room and he felt his rage surfacing already. Willing himself to be patient he focussed on the speaker of the Wizengamot.

"Draco Malfoy, you are brought before this institution to be tried for your crimes. Your are accused of bearing the Dark Mark and following the wizard Tom Riddle also known as Lord Voldemort. You're furthermore charged with the attempted murder of Albus Dumbledore and complicity in the former by granting entrance to Hogwarts Castle to known Death Eaters. Lastly you are accused of the use of the Unforgivables. How do you plead?"

Draco hadn't looked up once, but now his head slowly came up and from where Harry sat, it looked like he was staring at the Wizengamot in disbelief. Silence echoed in the courtroom and after a moment the leading judge became impatient: "Boy, how do you plead? We don't have all day. You refuse to speak we shall just note you pleaded guilty"

Next to him Hermione let out a snarl and he understood her feeling. There was no defendant for the accused and now they took Draco's unwillingness or possible inability to speak as an admittance of guilt. He was so close to stand up, but suddenly Draco seemed to have snapped back to his surroundings and spoke in a raspy voice:

"Guilty."

So the sighting of evidence began, but it was obvious to Harry that the outcome of this trial had been set long before. Just before the speaker could announce that they would give verdict on the case, Harry shared a quick look with Hermione who gave him a reassuring nod. Standing up he pushed his hood back and spoke up:

"I want to give testimony for the defence."

Immediately heads turned his way and the shock on everybody's face was evident.

"Mr. Potter, didn't know you were here, but that is ... that is very uncommon. I am sure the Wizengamot would come to a satisfactory decision without..."

"Seeing the nature of this trial so far, I really doubt that Sir. Are you going to deny Mr. Malfoy the right to a defence?" Harry challenged and he knew very well that the man was not concerned about Malfoy. However, he would be concerned about his public face and as much as Harry hated pulling his fame in this case it was the right thing to do. As expected the head of the Wizengamot session quickly relented.

"No, no of course not Mr. Potter, if you please would come down to give your testimony."

As the crowd parted to let him through Harry ignored the murmuring around him and focussed all his thoughts on what he wanted to say calling up all the anger and frustration he felt with the people in this room if not this institution. Arriving next to the young man his age, bound on a chair that he once occupied, Harry shared a quick look with a shocked an puzzled Draco Malfoy. Then he turned to address the Wizengamot and audience.

"Draco Malfoy is a victim of war. He is a victim of war like myself, like every other young witch and wizard of my generation. We were wronged by the world around us and now you are wronging him once more by making him a scapegoat for all the mistakes you have made." Harry spoke in a cold voice, but his words were heated and the outbreak around him was murderous.

"Silence, silence or I shall remove you from this court" the threat silenced the crowd and the Head of the Wizengamot motioned for him to continue although his looks were far from friendly.

"All of you are so ready to convict Draco Malfoy, you do not care about him or what he has done. You see him and you see his father or maybe you see him and you see the mark on his arm. But let me ask you, what would you have done in his stead? I ask you, what would you have done if Voldemort demanded your loyalty on threat of not just your life but the life of your family? I knew Malfoy was a Death Eater in his sixth year, it was as clear as water to me, but no one wanted to see it. No one wanted to take responsibility. So a boy, charged with a suicide mission that he has to complete while his mother is held hostage in her own home, figures out a way to let Death Eaters into the castle which leads to the death of Albus Dumbledore. He is guilty of that, I do not deny it, but I doubt he wanted the headmaster dead. Maybe if you had given him the opportunity to speak, you would understand. Maybe he would have told you how his sixth year was living hell, being torn up with worry about his mother and panicked about a future he held no control over. Maybe he would have told you how in his seventh year Voldemort still occupied his house, how witnessing torture and murder made him slowly fall apart. Maybe he would even have told you that the night I was brought to Malfoy Manor, he wouldn't identify me, wouldn't give me up because he knew what that would have meant.

Instead you are ready to convict him, make him the scapegoat of this war. Because you have learnt nothing. You are looking for revenge when in fact you are just as guilty. Those of you that ignored the signs that Voldemort was back, you have helped him gain power. Those of you who stayed safe and didn't fight, you have blood on your hands because your inaction killed those brave enough to fight. Those of you who put their hope in me, who thought a 17-year old could save the world, you let children fight your war. And so they did, and they did what was necessary to survive. Draco Malfoy took the Dark mark and went on a suicide mission because it seemed the only possible way. Indoctrinated from birth by a man that was a known Death Eater he knew nothing else. I used the imperious curse because I knew no way further, Hermione Granger illegally oblivated her parents so they would be safe, students at Hogwarts tortured their fellow students for fear of being tortured themselves. The same students fought the last battle with a few brave adults that your society has left. You took our innocence and you took our youth, as far as I am concerned not one of you can pass judgement. We are your creation. You pass judgement on Draco Malfoy, you have to pass judgement on all of us. But remember, you taught us how to fight, you taught us war and we have fought it. We are no children anymore, we are not innocent, but we are overall survivors."

**AN: One-shot, AU, just me playing with an idea about what happened after the war. Also inspired by my outrage of the inaction of the general wizarding public and the officials and their single-mindedness.**

**I own nothing, all rights go to J.K. Rowling of course.**


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